Consommé, Clear and Simple I

Consommé, Clear and Simple Pure, intense flavor, with hardly a hint of fat

BY IRVING SHELBY SMITH

’m not given to “raised- Ipinkie” pronouncements, but I just can’t bring myself to call consommé a soup. The graceful poise of a good consommé has a calming effect on the mind. It’s civi- lized. You may think that I’m being precious or fanci- ful, but serve one up some- time and you’ll no doubt notice that it’s all but im- possible to race through a consommé. Jazzy soups, funky soups, and hearty country- style soups may be more comforting and folksy, but to me none is as compelling as consommé. After all, if we are what we eat, what better way to be than clear and concentrated? Today’s taste for vibrant flavors that are low in fat has led to a rediscovery of this French classic. More and more chefs are realizing that consommé is an exception- ally pure vehicle for aroma and flavor. And consommé’s shimmering clarity makes Liquid gold. Consommé has a purity of flavor and clarity of aspect like no other soup. And it’s low in fat—perfect for for a stunning presentation. today’s taste for bold but lean food. While consommé requires several steps, the process is straight- strong enough by using extra amounts particles that also make it murky—will forward and, once mastered, can lead of fresh meaty bones or aromatic vege- be removed during the clarification. to infinite improvisation with flavors tables. You can also reduce a finished Skimming a stock regularly while it sim- and garnishes. stock by boiling gently to concentrate mers will also produce a clearer, better- flavor. But don’t cook it down too much flavored stock. NO WIMPY STOCKS or it will taste flat and dull. For a gallon A good consommé depends on a very of finished stock, about 45 minutes re- FROM MURKY TO CRYSTALLINE rich stock, whether it be chicken, beef, ducing is the limit. Starting out extra- The transformation from cloudy stock seafood, or vegetable. Wimpy, watery strong is crucial because the very things to clear soup is quite amazing. It’s car-

stocks won’t work. Make your stock that give stock flavor—all those tiny ried out by the proteins in a mixture Photo this page: Mary Ellen Bartley

60 FINE COOKING Copyright © 1995 - 2007 The Taunton Press Not pretty, but effective. This chunky mass of egg whites, chopped beef, and vegetables is called a “raft.” As the ingredients coagulate in the hot stock, they ﬂoat to the top to form a solid ﬁlter. Once they’re set, a hole is poked in the top so the liquid can bubble freely through the raft.

These simple ingredients have amazing powers—egg whites, aromatic vegetables, and poultry, meat, or fish transform murky stock into an intense, amber consommé. The proteins in these ingredients coagulate during simmering and act like a superfine filter.

called a clearmeat—egg whites, some stock and it’s still hot, take extra care to 20 minutes, or until perfectly clear and ground or chopped meat (except when whisk the stock, a little at a time, thor- richly flavored. If the consommé isn’t making vegetarian consommé), and oughly with the clearmeat so the heat clear after 30 minutes of simmering, some aromatic vegetables and season- doesn’t coagulate the eggs too soon. most likely the raft has broken up or has ings for flavor. When the stock and the The next step is to bring the whole stuck to the bottom of the pot. In this clearmeat are heated, the particles in the thing to a gentle simmer over high heat, case, strain the stock, discard the raft, stock coagulate with the egg white and stirring constantly and gently to prevent and begin by making a fresh clearmeat meat protein. In effect, the stock is fil- the clearmeat from settling at the bottom mixture using the same stock. tered. You can also add tomatoes to the of the pot and burning—which will ruin Ladling and straining the filtered clearmeat, as their acid will help the co- everything. A good tool for this is a long- liquid. Now the trick is to retrieve the agulation, but they’ll darken the con- handled spatula or flat-ended spoon that crystal-clear consommé without mixing sommé slightly. will scrape the bottom of the pot. Don’t up the raft. Just work slowly so you can I make clearmeat by first chopping up rush this stage—if the clearmeat cooks control the liquid and solids separately. onions, celery, carrots, and the principal too quickly, it won’t take in all of the sus- Line a sieve with a clean, damp, lint- flavoring ingredient (seafood, chicken, pended particles and thoroughly clarify free cloth. Ladle the consommé through beef, or mushrooms depending on what the stock. the lined sieve. Don’t try to force the consommé I’m making). Then I mix this When the stock reaches a boil, im- liquid through the sieve, which will with egg whites, salt, and pepper and mediately turn down the heat as low only cloud the consommé. When you process it in a food processor until very as possible while still maintaining a get down to the bottom of the pot, tilt it fine. You can use egg whites alone, but I gentle simmer. Stop stirring. The clear- over the sieve to pour out all of the prefer to use other ingredients as well to meat will gradually coagulate and rise to free-running consommé; use the ladle boost and fine-tune the flavor of the fin- the top as a crust, called the “raft.” The to keep the raft from falling out of the ished consommé. Seasonings, such as raft acts as a filter, trapping all the tiny pot. Throw away the raft (or feed it to salt and pepper, are added to the clear- suspended particles as they bubble up the dog) and set the consommé aside meat because you don’t want to add through it. Use a ladle or a large spoon to to cool. Consommé is high in protein them to a finished, perfectly clear con- poke a hole in the raft, called a chimney, and therefore vulnerable to bacterial sommé. The stock itself should also be if a hole doesn’t form naturally. The raft growth, so cool it quickly; I use an ice- well seasoned. will set up better if you baste it occasion- water bath. Mix everything gently—and then ally by carefully ladling some stock over Remove any traces of fat from the stand back. The clarification process it. Don’t let the stock boil, which will consommé by blotting the surface with begins by whisking about two cups of break up the raft and ruin the clarifica- paper towels. A well-made consommé cool or warm stock into the clearmeat tion of the consommé. will be fat-free, and it will keep for three and then adding this mixture to the rest After the raft forms, let the stock days in the refrigerator or up to three

Photos except where noted: Sloan Howard of the stock. If you’ve just made your simmer gently, undisturbed, for about months in the freezer.

JUNE/JULY 1995 61 Copyright © 1995 - 2007 The Taunton Press This is no ordinary chicken noodle soup. Tiny ravioli, julienned vegetables, and herbs are the garnish for this chicken consommé, but you can use almost anything as a garnish as long as it won’t cloud the soup.

enough to go straight into the liquid. Here are some of my favorite additions: • infuse the consommé by steeping with fresh herbs or spices: rosemary, tarragon, lemongrass, saffron • flavor the broth before clarification with ground spices (adding them to the finished consommé would make it cloudy): Indian garam masala, Chinese five-spice • vegetables cut in neat julienne, tiny dice, or parisienne (pea-sized balls made with a tiny melon baller), small asparagus tips, fresh peas, tiny mushrooms • dried beans and legumes: black beans, black-eyed peas, navy beans, adzuki beans, lentils • pastas, stuffed or un- stuffed: tortellini, ravioli, wontons, bow-ties, orzo • grains like pearl barley or wild rice intriguing and attractive. would absorb too much • delicate slices of meat, Adding Almost any ingredient is consommé during cooking. chicken, or fish, either accents possible as an accent to Use only nonfat methods to the same type as the con- consommé, as long as you cook your garnishes (boil- sommé or a different type to consommé like the way the flavors, tex- ing, steaming) because any for contrast tures, and colors work with fat used in cooking will • small shellfish: shrimp, Now that you’ve gone the pale, clear liquid. ruin the clarity of the con- clams, scallops, mussels, through all the fuss to make I always cook garnishes sommé. Two exceptions to lobster claws your limpid liquid, you’ll ahead so their flavors stay the cook-ahead rule are • last minute accents: probably want to choose distinct from the flavor of peeled, seeded, and diced blanched strips of citrus a final seasoning and gar- the consommé. And some tomatoes or sliced fresh zest, edible flowers, or a few

nish to make it even more things, like pastas or beans, trufﬂe; both are soft drops of ﬂavored oil. Photo this page: Mary Ellen Bartley

62 FINE COOKING Copyright © 1995 - 2007 The Taunton Press BEEF STOCK MUSHROOM STOCK FOR BEEF CONSOMME: Yields about 3 quarts rich stock. Yields about 3 quarts rich stock. 3⁄4 lb. lean beef, ground or chopped 21⁄2 qt. rich Beef Stock (see recipe at left) 8 lb. meaty beef or veal bones, or a combination 1⁄2 lb. dried wild mushrooms, such as 2 onions, chopped coarse shiitakes or porcini FOR CHICKEN CONSOMME: 3 2 carrots, chopped coarse Ingredients (except beef and veal bones) ⁄4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped 1 2 ribs celery, chopped coarse from Beef Stock recipe at left 2 ⁄2 qt. rich Chicken Stock (see recipe at left) 5 qt. cold water 2 cloves garlic, peeled Using a pot that holds at least 8 qt., follow the FOR MUSHROOM CONSOMME: 1 tsp. black peppercorns method for Chicken Stock (at left), cooking 3⁄4 oz. dried mushrooms, reconstituted 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried 1 12 only about 1 ⁄2 hours. There won’t be any fat 2 ⁄ qt. rich Mushroom Stock (see recipe at left) 1 bay leaf to skim. FOR SEAFOOD CONSOMME: Heat the oven to 450°F. Spread the bones in 3⁄4 lb. scallops, shrimp, white-fleshed fish, or a large shallow roasting pans and roast for SEAFOOD STOCK combination 40 min. or until well-browned. Turn the bones, Yields about 3 quarts rich stock. 21⁄2 qt. rich Seafood Stock (see recipe at left) add the onions, carrots, and celery, and roast 3 qt. cold water Combine the basic clearmeat ingredients another 20 min. Transfer the roasted bones 3 cups crisp, acidic dry white wine, such as with the beef, chicken, mushrooms, or sea- and vegetables to a pot that holds at least Sauvignon Blanc food in a food processor. Process until very 10 qt. Pour off the fat from the roasting pans 5 lb. white fish bones, cut into 5-in. pieces fine. Mix about 2 cups of the stock with the and deglaze them with 2 cups of the water. (lobster, shrimp, or crab shells may be used, too, but avoid fatty fish such as salmon) clearmeat and pour the mixture into the rest Add this to the pot, along with the remaining Ingredients (except beef and veal bones and of the stock. Bring to a boil slowly, stirring water, the garlic, peppercorns, and herbs. water) from Beef Stock recipe at left constantly and gently. When the mixture Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and begins to boil, immediately turn down the Follow the method for Chicken Stock (at left), simmer uncovered for 5 to 6 hours, skimming heat to a simmer and stop stirring. Allow the cooking only 30 min. occasionally. Strain. Taste and reduce for fla- raft to form and make a chimney by poking vor if necessary. Chill immediately in an ice a hole in the raft if an opening doesn’t form bath or in the refrigerator. When chilled, skim CONSOMME on its own. off the fat. The process is the same no matter which con- sommé you’re making—beef, chicken, mush- Simmer the consommé for 20 to 30 min., CHICKEN STOCK room, or seafood. And consommés aren’t until perfectly clear. Remove from the heat. Gently ladle the consommé into a sieve lined Yields about 3 quarts rich stock. limited to these flavors, either. Experiment with other meats (lamb, venison), poultry (duck, with a clean, damp cloth set over a bowl. 8 lb. chicken bones, trimmed of fat (necks and turkey, or pheasant), and different types of Allow to drain slowly through the sieve. Tilt backs work well) vegetables, fish, and shellfish. Whatever ingre- the pot and drain off all the free-running Ingredients (except beef and veal bones) from Beef Stock recipe above dient you use, just be sure your stock is well bal- consommé, using the ladle to hold back the anced and full of flavor. Yields about 2 quarts. raft. Remove any fat from the surface of the Combine all the ingredients in a pot that holds FOR THE BASIC CLEARMEAT: consommé by blotting the surface with at least 10 qt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and 5 large egg whites paper towels. Cool quickly in an ice bath simmer uncovered for 4 hours, skimming occa- 1 onion, chopped or in the refrigerator. sionally. Strain. Taste and reduce for flavor if nec- 1 carrot, chopped essary. Chill immediately in an ice bath or in the 1 rib celery, chopped Irving Shelby Smith is a professional chef refrigerator. When chilled, skim off the fat. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and a food and wine writer in Burlington, Vermont. •

Careful ladling for maximum clarity. After simmering until it’s clear, ladle the consommé through a damp cloth as a ﬁnal ﬁlter.

Tilt the pot to get the last few drops. Pour off the free-running consommé. As you get to the last few drops, use your ladle to hold back the pieces of the raft.